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Emerging Leaders Council
Moses Ayala L'18 serves as Director of Finance at the White House Office, managing an $80 million budget, overseeing all White House contracts, and ensuring federal compliance with spending regulations. Prior to this role, Moses advised Fortune 100 companies, national sports leagues, lobbying firms, and political organizations on campaign finance, lobbying regulations, and compliance matters at the federal, state, and local levels.
As a Syracuse Law student, Moses participated in the D.C. Externship Program at the Republican Governors Association
(2016) and the New York Pro Bono Scholars Program, which allowed him to take the bar exam early and join the RGA as Associate Counsel after graduation during the 2018 election cycle.
A Buffalo native, Moses earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester and his J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law. He is admitted to practice in New York and is based in Washington, D.C. Moses remains active with the Syracuse Law Alumni Association, the Republican National Lawyers Association, and the Washington D.C. Buffalo Bills Backers.
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Olivia Barton L’24 is currently Music Counsel at Epic Games. Epic is a leading interactive entertainment company that also develops Unreal Engine, which powers many of the world’s leading games and is also adopted across industries such as film and television, and broadcast and live events. Epic also operates Fortnite, one of the world's largest games. Fortnite has featured artists like Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars, Mariah Carey, and more. Before Epic, Olivia worked in the sync licensing department at Sony Music.
Olivia earned her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma, Price College of Business, and a Master of Entertainment Industry Management from Carnegie Mellon University. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Syracuse University College of Law (JDinteractive) in December 2025.
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Matt Bemis L’20 serves as in-house corporate counsel at MetLife, Inc. In his role, Matt works on a broad range of insurance regulatory and enforcement matters. Prior to joining MetLife in October 2024, Matt worked as a commercial litigation associate at Arnold & Porter in New York.
As a Syracuse Law student, Matt was a Summer Associate for Arnold & Porter, was a Legal Extern for the U.S. Department of Justice and served as a Summer Law Clerk for Charter Communications.
Matt earned his undergraduate degree from Providence College and his J.D. from the Syracuse University College of Law.
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Elle Borgdorff L’25 serves as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Christine M. Celeste in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Elle was admitted to the Maryland Bar in November 2025. After her clerkship, Elle plans to practice family law in Maryland.
Elle’s article, “Redefining Human Life: Fetal Personhood Laws’ Impact on Assisted Reproductive Technology,” was published in the Syracuse Journal of Science and Technology Law in 2025. While at Syracuse University College of Law, she served as Managing Editor of the Journal of Science and Technology Law, Vice President of the Family Law Society, and Committee Director for the Women’s Law Students Association.
Elle earned her Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Political Science from Old Dominion University, graduating cum laude and earning a nomination for the Provost’s Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher. At ODU, Elle was also named Most Valuable Player on the Co-Ed Varsity Sailing Team and competed at College Sailing Nationals. She graduated from Syracuse University College of Law (JDinteractive) in 2025.
Elle lives in Annapolis with her husband Andrew (University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School Class of 2026), and their two dogs Avery and August. In her free time, she enjoys needlepointing, golfing, and sailing.
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Olivia Brown L’23 is an associate attorney at Hancock Estabrook, LLP in Syracuse, where she practices in the Firm's Trusts & Estates and Elder Law & Special Needs practice areas. She counsels clients on various aspects of trust and estate matters, including estate planning, asset preservation planning and Medicaid eligibility, and estate administration. She also engages in special needs planning and handles Article 81 and 17-A guardianship matters. Olivia serves on the Firm's Hiring Committee and regularly participates in the Syracuse University Pre-Law Immersion program.
Olivia obtained the Estate Planning certificate during her time at Syracuse Law. She served as Form & Accuracy Editor and an Editorial Member of the Syracuse Law Review, was Vice President for the Class of 2023 Student Bar Association, and was a fellow for Elder Law Restorative Justice. She also served as a legal extern with SUNY Upstate Medical University Office of General Counsel. Prior to law school, Olivia earned her undergraduate degree in Gerontology from SUNY Oneonta.
Born and raised in the Syracuse area, Olivia's love for the elderly led her to work and volunteer in several long-term care settings, particularly focusing on caring for those with Alzheimer's and dementia. She also worked at a boutique elder law firm in Syracuse, which confirmed her desire to pursue a law degree. Olivia has a passion for helping others and is eager to continue doing so with the Emerging Leaders Council.
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Ryan Carson L’23 is a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Grant C. Jaquith at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC). Ryan’s work focuses on Title 38 of the U.S. Code, veterans’ benefits and compensation, and federal appellate litigation.
As a Syracuse Law student, Ryan was the recipient of the ALI-CLE Scholarship and Leadership Award. He earned his J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law, an M.A.T. from Colgate University, and a B.A. in history from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and before the CAVC.
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Quinn Cartelli ‘16, L’19 is an attorney at the hedge fund Citadel, where she has worked for a little over four years. She began her career at Citadel doing electronic communication surveillance and in 2026 moved teams to focus primarily on responding to and investigating the Firm's regulatory exams and inquiries.
Prior to joining Citadel, Quinn worked at mid-sized law firms in New York City doing defense litigation, including serving as an Associate Attorney at Furman Kornfeld & Brennan LLP. During her time as a Syracuse Law student, she was a Summer Associate at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP.
Quinn is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University College of Law, where she earned her J.D. She later received her Master of Laws (LLM) in Banking Corporate and Finance Law from Fordham University School of Law. She also earned her undergraduate degree from Syracuse University in 2016, majoring in History and Political Science.
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Ann Ciancia l’21 serves as the Title IX Coordinator and Director of Equal Opportunity at Union College where she leads campus initiatives to combat discrimination, harassment, and sexual and gender-based misconduct.
Prior to her current role, Ann served as the Director of Contracts and Compliance and Title IX Coordinator at Utica University. In this capacity, she oversaw institutional compliance, risk mitigation, and legal affairs. She was an Adjunct Lecturer of Management and taught undergraduate courses in Sports Law, Business Law, and Evidence.
Ann received her JD from Syracuse University College of Law in 2021 while concurrently completing her MBA from Utica University.While a law student at Syracuse, Ann was the Notes and Comments Editor of the Journal of Global Rights and Organizations, where her note on femicide in Latin America was selected for publication. She held various leadership roles in the Student Bar Association, Syracuse Public Interest Network, Family Law Society, and Outlaw. Ann received the public interest fellowship upon graduation from Syracuse.
Ann received her bachelor’s degrees in health studies, Philosophy, and Spanish from Utica University in 2018. She currently resides in Schenectady, NY with her cat, Holly.
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Brandon Cottrell L'15 serves as a Partner with Hodgson Russ LLP, where he counsels borrowers, lenders, developers, owners, and investors in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions.
In his financing practice, Brandon represents borrowers, funds, banks, and financial institutions in asset-based loans, permanent/term loans, bridge loans, construction loans, mezzanine loans, and revolving loans, with a particular emphasis on borrower-side financings. He also represents sponsors, funds, and investors in structuring preferred equity transactions, including joint ventures and convertible instruments.
In his real estate development practice, Brandon represents buyers, sellers, developers, investors, landlords, and tenants in purchase and sale agreements, commercial leases, development agreements, and construction contracts. He has driven significant development projects from inception through completion, including casinos, hotels and resorts, shopping centers, medical office buildings, mixed-use buildings, renewable energy projects, and student and senior housing.
Brandon previously worked in public finance and economic development, and continues to devote a significant portion of his practice to representing institutional lenders and trustees in tax-exempt bond financing matters and renewable energy companies in IDA transactions. He also has substantial experience drafting legal opinions for New York real estate finance transactions and often serves as local counsel for mortgage loan transactions. He received his J.D. from Syracuse Law in 2015.
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Dana Krinsky L’25 serves as a Corporate Associate for Pryor Cashman LLP, based in New York City. During her time at Syracuse Law, she developed hands-on experience in corporate transactional law through internships with the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment (Brooklyn Nets), and Syracuse Law’s Innovation Law Center and Transactional Law Clinic. Dana’s article, What Are The Odds? A Comparative Approach to International Sports Gambling, was selected for publication in Volume 51.2 of the Syracuse Journal of International Law & Commerce. She later served as Lead Articles Editor while holding various other leadership positions, including President of the Entertainment & Sports Law Society and Vice President of the Corporate Law Society.
Dana graduated from the Syracuse University College of Law in 2025, and also earned her bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University in 2018, where she double majored in Marketing & Sales. Prior to law school, she spent four years building a career negotiating corporate partnerships and managing client relationships - experience that continues to inform her practical, business-oriented approach to the law.
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Maria Lesinski L’16 is currently Counsel at Newman & Lickstein LLP, where she advises in the areas of business and corporate law, focusing her practice on representing talent, influencers, startups and technology companies in a broad range of corporate, business, and intellectual property transactions. Her work centers on advising emerging and growth-stage companies on brand protection, technology transactions, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate matters.
Prior to joining Newman & Lickstein, Maria worked at Disney/ABC, FremantleMedia and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios, negotiating and drafting a wide range of commercial, talent, production, and intellectual property agreements for well-known unscripted television projects. Notably, Maria served as the point production legal contact for MGM Studios' Emmy Award-winning television show Shark Tank, where she worked closely with physical production managers, producers, entrepreneurs, and talent, supervising all aspects of the day-to-day legal needs of the show.
Maria graduated cum laude from Syracuse University College of Law, where she concurrently earned her Master's in TV, Radio and Film from the Newhouse School.
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Ryan Ockenden L’23 is a Deputy County Attorney for Onondaga County, where he advises the County's finance and budget, purchasing, and I.T. departments, the County's Board of Ethics, the County Clerk, and the County Board of Elections, and serves as the attorney for the County Legislature. Ryan also defends the County in litigation matters. Prior to joining Onondaga County, he worked for two years as a paralegal in Rochester, NY.
Ryan is a 2023 graduate of Syracuse University College of Law. While at Syracuse Law, he was a member of the Advocacy Honors Society, the Journal of International Law and Commerce, and served on the Student Bar Association all three years, serving as president of the Class of 2023 in his final year.
He also holds a Bachelor's in Business from SUNY Geneseo and a Master's in International Relations from Durham University in England.
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Troy Parker is a staff attorney with Bay Area Legal Services in Tampa, FL. He provides legal services to low-income clients with housing, consumer, and public benefits issues. He previously worked for Legal Services of Central New York in Syracuse, NY before moving to Tampa in 2023.
During his time at Syracuse College of Law, Troy was a member of the Travis H.D. Lewin Advocacy Honor Society Trial Team, Journal of International Law and Commerce, and Class President of the 3L Class. Troy is a member of multiple bar associations, currently serving as co-chair of the Community Outreach Committee for the Young Lawyers Division of the Hillsborough County Bar Association.
Troy received his bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University in 2018, and Juris Doctorate from Syracuse College of Law in 2021. He also received his master’s in public administration in 2021 from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.
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Marc Pietropaoli is an associate at Sidley Austin LLP, where he advises investment advisory firms, fund sponsors, and other asset managers on a broad range of formation, transactional, and regulatory matters. His practice focuses on the structuring, operation, and offering of U.S. and non-U.S. private funds, including hedge funds and private equity funds. Marc also has experience representing clients in mergers and acquisitions in the investment management and private equity sectors.
Marc earned his B.A. from Boston College and his J.D., summa cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law, where he graduated first in his class, was inducted into the Order of the Coif, and received the Scribes Award for excellence in legal writing. During law school, he served as Executive Editor of the Syracuse Law Review and was a Senior Research Associate at the Innovation Law Center.
A native of Central New York, Marc currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with his wife and daughter.
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Alexander Robinson L’19 is a commercial litigator with Cozen O'Connor, where he represents clients in complex disputes spanning privacy and data litigation, unfair competition, trade secrets, professional negligence, construction defect, and breach of contract. He also serves as Co Pro Bono Chair for the firm's San Diego office, helping guide community-focused legal initiatives in the region.
Alex's appellate work includes co-authoring an amicus curiae brief filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit addressing the limits of specific personal jurisdiction based on Internet activity. He began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Maarten Vermaat, United States Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Michigan, where he drafted judicial opinions and reports across a wide range of civil and criminal matters.
A proud graduate of Syracuse University College of Law, Alex earned his J.D. cum laude in 2019, along with an M.S. in New Media Management from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. During law school, he externed for federal judges in both the Northern District of New York and the Southern District of California, and served as a Certified Legal Intern in the Appellate Division of the San Diego District Attorney's Office.
Alex is admitted to practice in California and Texas. Outside of work, he is an enthusiastic Alabama football fan and an avid explorer of new restaurants and coffee shops.
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Omnia Shedid G’24, L’24 is a Law Clerk at the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Prior to her clerkship, Omnia was an Honors Attorney at the United States Department of Justice. Driven by her passion for service, Omnia continues to mentor Syracuse Law students and recent graduates, and is especially committed to uplifting first-generation law students, students from underrepresented communities, and women in the legal field.
During her time at Syracuse Law, she served as Class of 2024 President for her second and third years, and Class Vice President in her first year. As Class President, Omnia advocated for residential and JDi students through initiatives that supported student success and fostered community. She also served on the executive board of the Syracuse Journal of Science and Technology Law as a Notes and Comments Editor. In recognition of her service, Omnia received the Distinguished Service Award, the Social Justice Leadership Award, and the Third Year Student of the Year Award. She is also a two-time recipient of the SUCOL Unsung Hero Award.
Omnia graduated from Syracuse University with both her J.D. from Syracuse Law and her Master of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Government from Towson University.
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Marissa Thomas-Martin L’21 is the Engagement and Staff Attorney for Legal Aid of North Carolina, where she oversees all internal and external legal education and training initiatives for the firm, while also handling cases providing high quality and holistic services to her clients and the North Carolina community.
Marissa graduated from Syracuse University College of Law and the Syracuse University S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2021 with a joint juris doctor and master of science in public relations degree. While in law school she received a CALI Award in Trademarks and Unfair Competition law. She received her undergraduate degree in mass communication from North Carolina Central University in 2016.
Outside of work, Marissa serves on the Communications committees for the North Carolina Bar Association and the NCBA Young Lawyers Division. She also serves as the chair of the technology committee and the co-chair of the scholarship committee for the Raleigh branch of the National Association of University Women. She enjoys marvel movies, Legos, and movie musicals. She lives in Lillington, North Carolina with her husband and two cats, Hippo and Idaho.
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Matt Wallace, G’ 19, L’ 19, is an Associate at Clyde & Co’s Washington D.C. office where he acts as litigation, regulatory, and transactional counsel to transportation-sector clients, including domestic and international airlines, aerospace companies, airport developers, private aviation stakeholders, lenders/lessors, insurers, technology companies, and other aerospace-adjacent organizations. In this role, he also advises clients on compliance with reporting obligations, risk management, ethics, emergency management, quality control, and safety programs.
Prior to joining the Clyde & Co, Matt served for five years as a Special Trial Counsel in the US Army’s Office of Special Trial Counsel, where he also continues to serve as a Captain in the US Army Reserve. As a Special Trial Counsel, Matt specializes in the prosecution of high-profile criminal matters including sexual assault, child abuse, and homicide - with over 40 first-chair jury trials to date.
As a Syracuse Law student, Matt worked as a Summer Associate with a special operations agency and a large international airline. He was heavily involved in trial teams, the Advocacy Honor Society, the Student Bar Association, and VISION.
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William Wolfe L’20 is an attorney at Harris Beach Murtha, focusing on litigation, labor and employment, and cannabis law. Will has been recognized for his contributions to the legal profession and community, named to City & State New York’s Responsible 100, honoring New York’s most outstanding corporate citizens in 2022. In 2024, he received the Syracuse University College of Law Black Law Students Association Distinguished Alumni Award.
Will serves on ACR Health and the Frank H. Hiscock Legal Aid Society boards, holds leadership roles in the Central New York Bankruptcy Bar Association, and is Vice President of the William Herbert Johnson Bar Association of Central New York.
As a Syracuse University College of Law student, he earned multiple honors, including Outstanding Graduate and the Paul Shipman Andrews Award. Will was named National Best Advocate at the Constance Baker Motley National Black Law Students Association Mock Trial Competition and was a member of the ABA Arbitration Team. He also completed the Advocacy and Litigation curriculum and was admitted to the Order of the Barristers.
Currently, Wolfe co-coaches the Black Law Students Association Trial Team alongside John F. Boyd II L’16 (his former trial coach), contributing to the development of future trial advocates.